Mission Council Minutes 9/23-9/24/2011

Note: The following minutes are not necessarily presented in the order discussed at the meeting. The discussions and decisions made here were made in different session interspersed with presentations from the Mission Council Agencies.

Devotions: Devotions by Ouk-Yean Kim Jueng: Reading from Ezekiel. Meditation on flowing water and the living water of Christ. Mission Council work is like flowing and living water that will bring forth life. We are distributing “Holy Resources.”

Minutes: Approved the minutes of the meeting of September 24 and 25, 2010 as amended by changing the word “live” to “line” on p. 4.

Financial Reports: Rick V. reported that apportionments are coming in well, except for West Ohio, which is $16,000 behind. This might be the result of a new Treasurer.

We are $110,213 ahead for the first 2 and ½ years, but we have a big expense coming up with Jurisdictional Conference next July. All groups are in good shape, except the Commission on Religion and Race, discussed below. The Korean Mission might run out of money at the beginning of the next year.

Discussion of the Commission on Religion and Race: Rick explained that there is a discrepancy related to how much funding the CORR thought it had carried over from last quad. CORR thought they were carrying over around $20,000, and the books Rick inherited said that it was about $2000. Motion by Rick, seconded, that the Mission Council permit the CORR to overspend their budget by about $20,000 with no carryover for the next quad. Unanimous approval. Rick will communicate this to CORR.

Solar Oven Grant Request: The Dakotas are requesting a grant of $5000 to help fund their Haiti Solar Over Project. The Executive Committee recommended approval with the $5,000 to be taken out of the Emerging Ministry line item. Motion tabled by unanimous vote.

This grant was taken up later in the meeting: Motion, seconded andapproved to provide $5,000 grant out of Emerging Ministries line item for the Haiti Solar Oven Project. A subcommittee of Bill Pyatt, Ouk-Yean Kim Jeung and Anne Bunch will work together on policies for the future.

Proposed Revised Financial Policies: Rick led a discussion of the following matters:

1) Audit. No CPA would perform an audit for us short of $100,000 due to extensive agency on-sight work. We will have to present to the Jurisdictional Conference the unfeasibility of performing an audit, even though it is required by the Discipline

2) The Two Pathways: The first pathway is for an agency to be a separate 501 (c) (3) operating independently; and the second pathway is for an agency to do all of its financial business through the mission council using the NCJ Treasurer as its treasurer.

a) Requirements for Funds to be Received in 2012 (Green Sheet): Executive committee recommends approval – Ouk-Yean recommends adding the language “that the cabinet to be notified” to no. 5. Unanimously approved as stated in Addendum B.

b) Requirements for Receiving Funds in 2013-2016 (Green Sheet): Executive Committee recommends approval. It was suggested that a new II e. be added: “The NCJ Treasurer will issue quarterly reports to the director and chair of the agency or organization and those whom the organization or agency designates.” Unanimously approved as stated in Addendum B. It was also approved that this procedure be taken to the Jurisdictional Conference in 2012.

Devotions: Bill Pyatt led devotions from Ed Hayes “A Pilgrim’s Almanac” focusing on that we believe in both sunrises and sunsets.

Continue Executive Committee Recommendations:

Jurisdictional Expenses: Ruth Ellen presented the recommendation that jurisdictional expenses be as follows: Per diem raised from $75 to $100 per day, mileage remain at 30 cents a mile with a 5 cent supplement for additional passengers. The recommendation was unanimously approved, but later in the meeting it was unanimously approved to return the per diem back to $75.

Request for Funds for Dakotas and Minnesota Area: Discussion about the request for $235,096 for developing a technological system to bring together the Dakotas and Minnesota into one area. Much discussion over several sessions. Several motions made, amended and withdrawn – (it is not worth reporting them all).

Final result of discussions: Motion by John Edgar, 2nd, that we support the full funding of the proposal of the Dakotas/Minnesota area for new technology and that the Executive Committee be empowered to work with the College of Bishops to come up with a plan to bring this to the Jurisdictional Conference. Unanimously approved. The College of Bishops will next meet in January.

Budget Building. After much discussion and alternatives, the budget as attached as Addendum C was unanimously approved with a final apportioned budget of $992,300.

Final business: Motion by Eric Burton Krieger: I move that annual conference directors of connectional ministry and heads of communications report to the executive committee of the Mission Council on their current capabilities related to interned video conferencing. Specifically, the Mission Council executive committee would like to know what is possible regarding a conference’s jurisdictional delegation meeting in a central location and being linked to other conference delegations online so that Jurisdictional Conference might be held virtually. Included in this report will be your current capabilities, plans for future development of video conferencing and sense of the needs you would have to make such an experience possible. Unanimously approved.

(Note from Secretary: This motion should be reworked by the Executive Committee to request a report of capabilities, however, in the event that bishops are to be elected, holding a virtual conference would be impossible).

Final business: Motion to give Executive Committee authority to complete the unfinished business of this meeting. Unanimously approved.

Note: All of these Agencies submitted Funded Agency Reports for 2011. These reports were available and reviewed before the meetings. What follows are the highlights of the verbal presentations. These presentations were made in this order, with meals, breaks and other business scattered in between:

Town and Country Association: Presenter, Deb Ketchem

The NC Jurisdiction is filled with rural churches; they are very foundational in rural areas, and in establishing urban churches as rural people move to cities

In March of 2011, there was a study that said that rural churches are feeling unheard; it’s very important to have training for clergy and laity on the needs of rural churches.

Strong tie between Town and Country and Urban Network.

January training included “Leading from the Edge,” Bridges 1 and 2”, Multi-cultural churches

Future plans based on the theme “Radical Leadership”

Will do more with web sites and technology; trying to do more things locally as well

2 different funded agencies; Committee on Native American Ministries and Native American International Caucus

CONAM doing the Course of Study since 2005, accredited through GBHEM

Tom John of West Michigan Conference is first graduate

Goals of CONAM – Continue COS in different states; participate in General Conference Acts of Repentance;

Need extra funding (about $100,00) for a jurisdictional summit and to fund a resource staff person

Michigan used to have 43 NA ministries, now has 9

NA International Caucus bring people together – camping program and eagles program and provides education in such things as alcohol abuse and suicide prevention

Request is for $140,000 for CONAM, up from $35,000; and $30,000 for NA International Caucus, same as for last quad

Meeting of September 23 and 24, 2011

Addendum B

Financial Policies adopted at Meeting

Requirements for Receiving Funds in 2012:

Organization/Agency must request funds after January 1, 2012

Organization/Agency must present a detailed financial report to the NCJ Treasurer for the year ending December 31, 2011. An audit is preferable.

Organization/Agency must provide the NCJ Treasurer with a copy of its December 2011 bank statements (all accounts). Organizations or agencies which do not have their own bank accounts of their own treasuries obviously do not need to comply with this requirement.

No funds can be paid to individuals or personal bank accounts, except for authorized reimbursement which must be fully documented.

Funding for local churches (and other ministries directly related to an annual conference) will be sent to the treasurer of that annual conference for distribution, and the cabinet of that annual conference will also be notified of the distribution.

Requirements for Receiving Funds in 2013 – 2016 – Two Pathways are Permissible

Block (Lump Sum) Annual Funding

Organization/Agency shall provide the NCJ Treasurer with a copy of its 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS.

Organization/Agency shall provide the NCJ Treasurer with a copy of its articles of incorporation and registration with the appropriate governmental entities in the state where its main offices are located.

Funds must be requested annually.

A detailed financial report from the previous year must be presented to the NCJ Treasurer (An audit is preferable).

Copies of the December bank statements from the previous year must be presented to the NCJ Treasurer (all accounts).

Local churches, uncharted churches and mission churches are exempt from a & b above, however, approved funding will be sent to the appropriate annual conference treasurer for distribution monthly.

Periodic and Reimbursement Funding

Organizations and agencies which do not have their own 501(c)(3) designation and are not separately incorporated must utilize NCJ Treasurer as their sole treasurer.

Existing balances in current bank accounts as of December 31, 2012 must be surrendered to the NCJ Treasury and evidence provided that those bank accounts are closed.

Organizations and agencies shall utilize a payout voucher system (provided by the NCJ Treasurer) for program expenses and reimbursements.

The annual audit of these organizations and agencies shall be conducted as a part of the NCJ audit.

The NCJ Treasurer will issue quarterly reports to the director and chair of the agency or organization and those whom the organization or agency designates.

Minutes of Meeting of September 23 and 24, 2011 – Addendum C

Acct # Description

Budget Quadrennium

Budget 2013-2016

INCOME

40100 Apportionments

$921,240

$992,300

41100 Special Missions

$0

42100 Interest Income – Merrill Lynch

$45,000

42200 Interest Income – Credit Union

$0

49900 Miscellaneous Income

$0

TOTAL INCOME

$966,240

$992,300

EXPENSES

51100 Jurisdictional Conference Expense

$299,000

$274,000

51300 Jurisdictional Conference Secretary

$12,500

$12,500

51400 Jurisdictional Conference Treasurer

$12,000

$12,000

51500 Jurisdictional Court of Appeals (Misc)

$15,000

$5,000

52100 Mission Council

$49,000

$40,000

52150 Fellowship of Mission Secretaries

$1,000

$0

52200 Committee on Episcopacy

$42,000

$60,000

52300 Archives & History

$2,500

$800

52400 Ruben Job Center

$98,000

$90,000

52500 Town & Country Network

$24,000

$12,000

52550 Urban Network

$12,000

52600 Volunteers in Mission

$32,000

$25,000

53100 Korean Ministries

$175,000

$150,000

53300 Hispanic Ministry Center of the NCJ

$46,000

$45,000

53350 Hispanic Caucus

$44,000

$44,000

53400 Native American Ministry

$35,000

$35,000

53450 Native American IC NE Region

$30,000

$30,000

54100 Youth Ministry

$15,000

$15,000

54150 Asian American Fellowship

$40,000

$35,000

55100 Religion and Race

$20,000

$20,000

56100 Continuing Consultation

$70,000

$70,000

57100 Midwest Mission Distribution Center

$5,000

$5,000

58100 General Conf. Expense for Host A/C

$20,000

$0

58200 Jurisdictional Conf. Expense for Host A/C

$20,000

$0

59100 Transitional Assistance – MN/Dakotas

$40,000

$0

59900 Emerging Ministries

$6,000

$0

TOTAL EXPENSES

$1,153,000

$992,300

$71,060

7.71%

TOTAL CHANGE IN NET ASSETS

-$186,760

$0

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